§ Mr. Ron DaviesTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action he is proposing to take to ensure that imported eggs meet the production standards he has set for British eggs.
§ Mr. Donald ThompsonEgg imports normally come from other EC member states and for both home produced and imported eggs the EC quality requirements are enforced by the agricultural departments and trading standards officers. Using their powers under the Imported Food Regulations 1984 some port health authorities have tested imported eggs for salmonella recently. A more systematic monitoring of imported eggs for salmonella is being set up in consultation with the port health authorities and the public health laboratory service.
Salmonella should be tackled on an EC-wide basis. Preliminary discussions have already taken place in Brussels on a Commission proposal to deal with a range of zoonoses including salmonella.
§ Dr. David ClarkTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list in theOfficial Report the number of egg packers receiving money under the egg industry scheme of (a) over £200,000, (b) £100 to £200,000, (c) £75 to £100,000 and (d) £50 to £75,000 and less than £50,000.
§ Mr. Donald Thompson[holding answer 23 March 1989]: I am unable to give these details in the form
52WCattle imported from third countries are required to originate from premises which have been free from bovine tuberculosis for the previous 12 months and to be tested for bovine tuberculosis with negative results during a period of at least 30 days isolation on their premises of origin. Cattle from Canada are subject to an additional test during pre-export quarantine.